Don't forget
by Hotomi
Summary: “But as you said Alphonse Elric, I will take everything from you.” Spoilers for the end of the series.


Title: Don't forget.  
Character(s): Alphonse Elric.  
Genre: Angst? Not quite sure…  
Rating: G  
Warnings: AU. The movie doesn't exist.  
Betaed by: **kalliel** (who totally rocks)

It has been posted in a lot of places, I'm sorry if you see it too much.

And there he stood, surrounded by light, shaking, sweating, with his heart beating fast and hands trembling. All because it was actually happening, all of these years of study, traveling, pain, and suffering had finally come to an end. He had managed to open the portal and was about to make his request. A wave of happiness ran through his body, followed by a wave of fear.

He had made it. It was actually happening.

But what if this was the end?

"Haven't we learned the lesson yet? Why are you here? This is no place for you." A familiar and strong voice reached his ears .Al felt the beating of his hear increase, powered by his fear and anxiety. This was it. This was the moment he had been fighting for. He couldn't stand back, not now. With a shaking, but still firm enough to be respected voice he answered:

"I have…I have a request to make…I"

"I know that," the voice interrupted. "That is always the reason why people like you come here. I wonder if humans will ever learn. What do you exactly want?"

Alphonse knew the Truth already knew what was he going to ask and that it just wanted to hear it from his mouth. Realization came and he understood this was only a game for it. He was an entertainment.

"I want…I want my brother back." He swallowed and waited for the answer to come.  
The voice replied in a mocking tone that in a normal situation would have made anyone mad, but this was not a normal situation and if the voice made Alphonse feel something it was everything but anger.

"What will you give me, in order to obtain that what you ask for?" This was the part Alphonse feared the most. He had known he would eventually have to give up on something, but what? What was the price of seeing his brother again?

His body? His soul? His life? 

No.

That was not enough; his brother had given too much for him. Edward meant his world, not a body or a soul. He was much more than that. For him, his brother was everything. 

"Everything." He answered completely sure "I'll give you everything. Just allow him to come home, where he belongs" A long silence followed.

"Very well. It is your brother what you want, that is what I will give." A sigh of relief escaped from Alphonse's mouth as his muscles relaxed. The voice interrupted the euphoric thoughts that were starting to form in Alphonse's mind and continue talking:

"But as you said Alphonse Elric, I will take everything from you."

Suddenly the power of light that surrounded him crested and he found himself blind. He experienced an enormous pain in all his body. But the boy didn't care. He had made it; he was going to see his brother again. Happiness ran through his body accompanied by a sweet triumph sensation.

And suddenly, the darkness.

He woke up lying in the floor of the basement he had been working in. He was dizzy and confused, and it took him a few seconds to remember what was exactly happening.

The portal, the Truth, his brother.

Alphonse quickly stood up and looked around for his brother. Nothing, his brother was not in this basement.

His heart sank and he fell on his knees as his eyes filled with tears. It hadn't worked; he had not succeeded. He started crying, tears of anger and disappointment ran through his cheeks and words of sorrow escaped his lips. And then he stopped. What was he doing? Why was he acting like a crybaby? Just because his brother wasn't here it didn't mean he had not succeeded. Perhaps his brother had just woke up like him. He should be somewhere else. A smile crossed his lips as he imagined his brother waking up as dizzy and confused as he did. Knowing him he would be cursing furious words and asking to no one in particular where the hell he was. Happiness and hope came in the place of sorrow as he stood up toward the exit of that place. His brother was smart, it wouldn't take him long to understand what was happening. And when he did he would look for him and then they would finally meet.

He needed to call Winry. 

Alphonse waited as patiently as he could for the operator to connect him to the Rockbell house. That was the logically place for Ed to go. At least that's what Alphonse would do.

"Hello? Rockbell residence? " The familiar girl's voice was heard through the phone.

"Hello, Winry, it's nice to hear your voice," Alphonse answered, voice as controlled as possible.

"I'm sorry, who am I talking to?" Alphonse frowned; he was usually the one who had trouble recognizing voices.

"Come on Winry. It has been so long that you do not recognize my voice anymore? It's me Al." A five-second silence followed.

"I'm sorry. I can't remember you. Where did we meet? " Her voice sounded very confused and a little bit ashamed, as if she really had no idea who she was talking to.

"Ha ha, very funny, Winry, but this is not the time for jokes. I have something big to tell you. Great news about my brother. I think that maybe…it is very probable that I managed to get him back." Another silence followed. Alphonse had expected a bigger reaction from her but he supposed she was digesting the words she had just heard.

"Who is your brother? Excuse me sir, are you sure you have the right number?" Alphonse sighted with exasperation

"I told you it was not funny! Listen Winry, are you mad because I haven't called you in a long time? Because I already told you I was really sorry, that I have been busy and that it will never happen again, ok?"

"Is this some kind of joke? How did you get this number? Listen I have tons of work and I don't have time for this so I would really appreciate if you stop bothering me sir." Winry's answer came in an exasperate tone.

"What? What are you talking about Winry? It's, Al; I just called you because I've got big news. My brother is…"- She hung up the phone. Alphonse found himself listening to the operator's' voice:

"Do you wish to make another call? It will cost you the same price."

"No, thank you very much. Have a nice day." Alphonse hung up the phone too and made his way out from that place. That had been weird. Why was she mad at him? It was weird, Winry being mad at him. He'd' talk to her –after talking to Ed, of course- later in Risembool.

The next train to Risembool was leaving at five. This gave Alphonse two hours to go to the hotel, pack his things, and catch the train just in time.

At the entrance of the hotel Alphonse remembered he had forgotten his key inside his room. He made his way towards the manager, who was busy at his desk reading some papers. Alphonse had met him yesterday; he was a nice man.

"Excuse me, sir?" The man raised his head and looked at Alphonse.

"Yes? Do you wish to get a room?" He asked with a warm smile.

Alphonse was a little bit shocked by the question, but quickly answered in a polite tone of voice.

"Oh no; I already have one. It's just that I forgot my key inside and I can't enter." Alphonse smiled and the manager answered his smile with a gentle nod.

"I see. Don't worry – there won´t be a problem. What is your room's number?" The man reached a book that was under his desk and placed it in front of him. When opened, the book revealed a list of names, numbers and dates.

"404. I checked-in yesterday at five." Alphonse replied.

The manager turned a few pages until he reached the one he needed. He frowned. "Are you sure young man? Because according to this, no one has checked-in in that room since the last week.

Alphonse blinked in a confused way. Had he forgotten his room's number? It was a possibility considering where his mind was yesterday.

"Perhaps I forgot my number, sir. My name is Alphonse Elric."

The man turned more pages. And when he reached the end of the book he looked again since the beginning. 

"There is no one registered under that name. Perhaps this is not your hotel."

"No. I'm sure this is my hotel. I checked-in yesterday. You were the one who attended me. Don't you remember me?"

The manager examined Alphonse for about two seconds. Then in a sympathetic tone he answered.

"I'm sorry, young man. I don't think I've ever seen you before, but I can give you a room if you wish."

"No!" Alphonse's voice rose "All of my things are in there. Why are you doing this? I'm going to call the police!"

"What is going on here?" A police officer had approached, sensing trouble.

"This young man over here insists that he has a room, but he does not appear in our register book and I honestly don't remember him." Now Alphonse was starting to get a little bit angry, but still he managed to act politely and replied:

"What I say is true, officer. My name is Alphonse Elric and I checked-in yesterday. I don't mind if you do not give me my room I just want my stuff back, please." The guard examined Alphonse, searching for any sign that indicated the presence of lies. After a while, he asked the manager:

"Are you sure he is not in the book?" The manager sighed and looked again at the book. The officer looked at the list too.

"No. He is not here, I'm sure." Alphonse was about to reply when the officer said:

"I'm sorry, but I am going to ask you to leave. If you keep causing trouble I will have to take you to the station."

Alphonse gave an incredulous look at the officer, then at the manager. He knew this was a lost battle. Besides, his "stuff" consisted only in a pair of underwear and another pair of socks. No big deal.

"Fine." He said in a not so very polite tone and he left the hotel.

At least he had kept his pocket with more than enough money. It had been a tiring day. First he had met the Truth, and now apparently he didn't exist

_"I'm sorry. I can't remember you. Where did we meet?"_

"I'm sorry young man. I don't think I've ever seen you in my life (comma here) but I can give you a room if you wish."

"But as you said Alphonse Elric, I will take everything from you."

Alphonse stopped walking abruptly and his mind started to work furiously. No, it could not be. This was not happening; it was just a coincidence. The Truth had not taken anything from him. He was complete. He had been so excited that he haven't stopped to think what had been exactly taken from him.

_I will take everything from you._

He started running towards the station. He needed to reach Risembool _now._ He needed to make sure that this terrible feeling was only a product of his imagination.

He bought the ticket and boarded the train the minute the it arrived to the station. He sat next to a window just before a sea of people entered to the train. The east train's rout consisted in making a stop in East city before reaching other minor towns like Risembool, so it was always a crowded trip.

Voices of people who complained because of the pushing could be heard all over the wagon. But Alphonse didn't hear anything, his stomach was really bothering him. He was nervous of not liking what he will find when reaching Risembool. Suddenly, a familiar voiced interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey! What the hell! That was MY place!" Alphonse's eyes opened in a snap. That voice… He turned in the direction of it.

"Yeah, well the same to you! That place sucked anyway." People stepped aside letting the owner of the voice pass, carefully allowing him to change his place " Move, let me pass!"

A lady wearing a big yellow hat stepped aside allowing Alphonse to confirm what he already knew.

He has grown was the first thing Alphonse thought when seeing him. He looked slightly different _more adult_ but there was no doubt about it: That was Edward in front of his eyes acting rudely and with a total lack of politeness. _Just as it was supposed to be._ In a moment, all the things that worried him became completely unimportant because his brother was there, he was back, and they were both going home.

Edward was angrily moving through the crowd, trying to make his way to an empty seat. He finally found it and before anyone noticed that empty spot he sat down. Right in front of Alphonse.

When Alphonse was about to say something Edward's gaze was directed to him. Looking at his brother's eyes Alphonse felt a warm sensation in his chest and remembered how much he loved him and he thought that all of the sacrifices he had made had been totally worth it. Then he realized Edward was talking to him.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" He asked with a shaky voice looking at Edward with wide opened eyes.

"I asked," Edward answered in a slower tone, "if this place was occupied."

_I will take everything from you._

Edward's words felt like nails in his heart. No please no. Not him. The truth was cruel. It had certainly taken everything for him, because in everybody's mind and heart there was not and there had never been before an Alphonse Elric. He was nothing because he had given everything.

Edward looked as though he was going to ask the question again, but quieted at the sight of Alphonse's tears. Alphonse covered his face and sobbed.


End file.
